Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-10-10
The state Prisoners.

AS stated III SHluIUhy'o OaLLilEI Jul &c
Bond, of the q. S. Circuit Court, sitting in
Richmond, fned Attorney General Ayers
$500 for bringing suits under the law known
as the coupon crusher" in disobedience CT
his injunction order, and committed the AT.
torney General to the custody of the mar.
shat until The fine ia paid. He also fined
the Commonwealth attorney of Fauquier,
Col. john Scott, for disobeying the same or.
der, and committed him until the fine is
paid and the suits brought ere dismissed
Messrs. Ayers and Scott were taken to Jail
at ten o'clock that night, where they will
remain, as they manifest no disposition to
pay the fine imposed or purge themselves of
contempt, certainly tot until their cases
have been passed upon by the United States
Supreme Court. Mr.. Chas. V. Meredith
and Col. w. w. Gordon. who have been en-
ployed as counsel, will apply to one of the
Judges of the Supreme Bench for n writ Of
habeas corpus, the record having been
made up.
To reply to question of what would be
the future effect upon the coupon crusher
act if the Supreme Court held that Judge
Bond has Jurisdiction in the cases which he
has already passed upon, Mr.. Ayers init
tUhI III luhb OfCuU THO SOu
would find it difficult to enforce that law,
but that the Legislature can amend that
law or pass others. Some lawyers hold that
the Supreme Bench may. without consider
ing the real merits involved in the question
of Jurisdiction, hold that the mandates ola
court must not be disobeyed. Mr.. Ayers
and Col. Scott are made as comfortable as
money can make them under the circum
stances, their meals and liquid refreshments
being furnished from hotel, and, barring
the fact that they are prisoners, they are
having as good a time as possible and are
visited by number of friends.
A Richmond Dispatch reporter called at
the Executive Mansion Saturday night and
met his Excellenoy in his office. The ques.
ton was asked him:
What have you stay in reference to the
arrest and imprisonment OF Attorney Gen.
eral Ayers and Commonwealth Attorney
Scott?"
what Are they in prison ?" said the
Governor, with surprise and Indignantly.
"Yes; they are going there at 10 o'clock"
'I'll go down and see Ayers at once.
Wait till 1 wash my face and hands. /
have just returned from Washington" re.
marked the Governor as he started away.
On the way to the Ill the Governor spoke
freely about Attorney General Ayers'S lncar-
ceration. He characterized aean outrageous
stride upon the Constitution and the rights
of the State. Judge Bond is opposed"
said he, ito the opinions of the best legal
minds of the State-such man as Judges
Irwin. Mclaughlin, Keith, Hon. ]. Ran
dolph Tucker, and host Of others. An
nsurping federal judge can take away the
liberties of the people as we'll by such
methods as they can be manacled by arms
Virginia people are lawnbding and the case
will be carried by babeas corpus to the
Supreme Court All of the States OF the
Union are interested in preserving their
constitutional rights. and il the Supreme
Court sustsins this federal Judge, the soon
or the States insist on an amendment to the
federal Constitution protecting defining, and
preserving their rights from such encroach-
ments the better, or our whole form of Gov.
eminent will be altered and an empire
will replace q republic"
A deputy United States marshal has
gone to Loudoun county to.serve upon Com
monwealth's Attorney McCabe the order in
relation TO him. McCabe is fined 500 and
costs, &c.